December 10, 2009 5:45 pm

Husky Stadium wasn’t filled Saturday just with rabid UW fans, intent on seeing the hometown heroes go out in style.

The press box was filled with NFL scouts.

And since it’s the job of Rob Rang, a senior draft analyst for NFLDraftScout.com, to know what those evaluators are thinking, he said a pair of Huskies defenders have improved their 2010 NFL Draft stock.

Linebackere Donald Butler, who coming into the season was considered an undrafted prospect, has improved his lot considerably.

“He’s physical taking on the fullback, has a good frame and projects in the 4-3 as an outside linebacker,” Rang said.

Rang said he sees Butler being drafted in the sixth to seventh round.

Then there’s defensive end Daniel Te’o-Nesheim, who really impressed the cadre of scouts Saturday with his three sacks against then-19th-ranked California to end his career as the school’s all-time sacks leader.

“He’s durable. He varies his pass-rushing moves, from the swim to rip to club,” Rang said. “And he has a physical, impressive build.”

The fact that this year’s draft is deep with defensive tackles, and thin in defensive ends, Rang could see Te’o-Nesheim in the same range as Butler – sixth to seventh range.

“Before this season, I thought he was a free-agent guy,” Rang said.

Rang said if linebacker E.J. Savannah isn’t granted a sixth year by the NCAA, the senior likely would get into somebody’s NFL camp as a free agent.

About

A proud native of Longview, Wash., Christian Caple joins The News Tribune after covering Washington State football and men's basketball for two years at the Spokesman-Review in Spokane (though he lived in Pullman). He is a 2010 graduate of the University of Washington, an avid NWAACC basketball fan, and is unsure how to proceed now that Breaking Bad is over.

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